


I'll Always Be Around (To Protect You From The Ghosts)

by genericparxname



Category: Waterparks (Band)
Genre: Awsten + Travis' Slumber Party Podcast, Bedsharing, Canon Compliant, Gen, I love this fandom so much, No Smut, awsten is scared, except no coronavirus, no beta we die like men (gender neutral), seriously y'all were so sweet about my first fic, this is platonic, vaguely set now
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-13
Updated: 2021-03-13
Packaged: 2021-03-21 01:21:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,018
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30013938
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/genericparxname/pseuds/genericparxname
Summary: Awsten and Travis go to a house that is meant to be haunted to film a few episodes of their podcast but Awsten finds it a bit too scary.
Relationships: Awsten Knight & Travis Riddle
Kudos: 5





	I'll Always Be Around (To Protect You From The Ghosts)

**Author's Note:**

> So this is my second fic for this fandom and I've really been enjoying writing these. I hope you like reading it!

Rain lashed against the car windows in the way that made all the colors outside run into one another. Wind battered nearby trees, pushing them in first one direction and then another. Leaves swirled around, occasionally landing on a window and momentarily blocking the view. It was empty. A completely deserted road except for one car which was braving the stormy weather and the evening gradually darkening into night.

“It looks like we’re nearly there,” Travis said. There was no need for him to say this as there was a SatNav which showed how long they had left, but he wanted an excuse to interrupt Awsten’s almost constant chatter.

“Hell yes! This episode is gonna be the best. I’m so excited.” Awsten continued to talk, and Travis, even after all the years they’d spent together, continued to be surprised at just how long the multicolor-haired boy could speak for without stopping.

“I don’t think you’ve mentioned that yet,” he muttered sarcastically under his breath. Awsten ignored him like a student with their overdue math homework. 

The two boys were on their way to one of the most haunted houses in America to film a few episodes of their podcast as a continuation of the Halloween episode that they had made previously. Travis still wasn’t entirely sure why there was a need to change the location, but Awsten wanted it and so he went along with it.

They were staying there that night, and everyone else would be joining them in the morning because Awsten wanted an ‘authentic experience’ or some shit like that. Travis was starting to realize just how much he went along with things because Awsten wanted to do them and vowed that he would make the next decision to do with the podcast.

The house was just coming into view, and it was exactly the kind of house from a horror movie where someone’s car breaks down in the middle of the night in a storm, and it’s the only convenient place for them to shelter for the night. In short, it was exactly what he’d expected.

“Whoa that’s so fucking cool,” Awsten said in excitement. “I’ve always wanted to stay somewhere like this.”

Travis rolled his eyes but was secretly very excited as well. He slowly drove along the gravel driveway, stones crunching under the tires, and patted his jeans’ pocket to double-check that the keys were still there.

The lock made the key all wet and slippery so Travis took a few tries to open the door but when he did it was worth it. The door made a creaking sound that echoed around the whole house and gave off just the vibe they had wanted.

“Dude, we totally need to include that in the podcast to freak everyone out. It could be at, like, the start or something,” said Awsten, eyes wide open in awe. He pushed past Travis into the house and located the light switch. Click. Click. Click click click click click.

“Okay, I get the idea. The lights don’t work. Now stop flicking the light switch,” groaned Travis in annoyance. Hour after hour in the car with Awsten had lowered his tolerance of the other boy considerably.

They turned on the flashlights on their phone because fucking thank God for modern technology and swept the beams around the room. Dusty was one way to describe it. A choking hazard was probably closer.

“I guess ghosts are unable to clean,” Travis said as an attempt at humor, but they were both too unnerved to laugh. “It’s getting quite late so I think we should try to go to sleep early because we’re filming tomorrow.”

Awsten agreed and they made their way back into the pouring rain to get their suitcases from the car. The house behind them seemed even more menacing now that all the light had been taken from the sky. 

~~~

Awsten lay awake in his bed, hours later, hyper-aware of his breathing and able to hear every small noise around him. There was a loud crash of thunder, and the whole house lit up every now and then like the lightning was a flashlight being turned on and off on repeat by a bored child in their tent at night on a camping trip. A door very close to his room banged shut. Awsten had been telling himself all night that ghosts didn’t really exist and that it was just a bit of fun for the podcast, but he grew more and more unconvinced each time. 

All Awsten really wanted was some human contact to help him feel better, but the thought of getting out of his bed, even if it was only to the room next door, fucking terrified him. He lay debating with himself for a while. Would it be worth getting out of this warm bed to have the possibility of Travis telling him to go away? He very quickly decided yes. He craved that human contact.

The multicolor-haired boy fished around under his pillow for his phone and climbed out of bed, shivering at the shock of cold air. He made his way towards Travis’ room with seemingly every floorboard underneath his feet, and some that weren’t, creaking loudly. The light picked out blood-red walls, and the dusty carpet had several different pairs of footsteps leading off into the darkness. 

Awsten slowly pushed open Travis’ door and whispered his name, hoping that he was still awake. “Travis, can I sleep here tonight?”

“You’re not scared of any ghosties are you?” Travis asked in a high, mocking voice that was far too awake for this time of night. 

“No,” Awsten lied. “I was cold and thought it would be better to share body heat.”

Travis was unconvinced but drew a corner of his duvet back to show that Awsten was allowed in. “If you have to,” he said. The younger boy got in gratefully, and Travis let out a shocked shout. “You’re so cold!”

Awsten mumbled something incomprehensible in reply, and Travis put his arm around him. “It’s okay. I’ll protect you from the ghosts.”


End file.
